The Duchess of Northumberland met a team of army veterans during the North East stage of their epic 1,000 walk to Buckingham Palace.

The six person group, made up of five men and one woman, all suffered serious injuries while serving with British and US forces, and belong to the Walking With The Wounded charity.

Backed by Prince Harry, it was established in 2010 to support the employment aspirations of injured and sick servicemen and women, who have been physically, mentally and socially disadvantaged by their time on the front line.

Its Walk Of Britain initiative started on August 22 in Scotland and arrived in the region this week, meeting the Duchess on Tuesday at Northumberland’s Alnwick Castle.

She said: “It shows how they’ve battled against adversity and they’re doing something any of us who hasn’t suffered such injuries would be proud of.”

The team is made up of Stewart Hill who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2009 in a bomb blast in Afghanistan, Matt Fisher who had his left leg amputated after being shot in the foot, and Alec Robotham who suffered a series of severe arm and leg injuries after a suicide attack in Helmand Province.

Scott Ransley was left blind in his right eye as a result of an Improvised Explosive Device whilst clearing a bomb-making factory, Kirstie Ennis suffered a catalogue of injuries following a helicopter crash in Afghanistan resulting in 38 surgeries and Andrew Bement suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after a traumatic brain injury.

The Duchess of Northumberland welcomes the Walking With The Wounded 'Walk of Britain 2015' team at Alnwick Castle

The aim of the walk is to engage with local communities and raise awareness of the work WWTW is doing across the country to support the wounded back into independence through long-term employment.

On Thursday they will visit Starbucks in Neville Street, Newcastle, to back its work with injured veterans.

This Spring, driven by the enthusiasm of Tony Wright, head of North East based Forward Assist - one of WWTW’s partner charities - and Starbucks UK store manager Becca Haigh – Starbucks Metro Centre Drive Thru launched a two week work placement programme for local homeless veterans.

It resulted in three of them getting jobs as baristas with Starbucks UK.

On Wednesday their day will finish at the Sage Gateshead where the WWTW team will join the Military Wives Choir on stage for a concert

Edward Parker, co-founder and CEO of WWTW said: “Walking over 1,000 miles is no mean feat. Yet again, we will be able to demonstrate that despite injuries these men and women look to their future with great determination and courage.

“We are also very excited about walking amongst the communities who have been so supportive of the military and Walking With The Wounded and we look forward to them coming out to support the team on their journey.”